Ray
Just for the record, the frames were an experiment that I would not recommend. I built four of them hastely for a cutout hoping to mount the comb in them, which I did. I also rubber banded several combs directly to the top bars.
The combs mounted to the frames were only about four inches deep, and the bees abandoned them and built from the top down, while they quickly attached the comb that was rubber banded to the top bars and those combs are doing quite well.
The bars are 19 inches long (same length as a Lang) and the sides are 24°. I think the angle is important because the bees interpret it as part of the floor and don't attach to it (sometimes), whereas the bees built comb around the frame legs and burred to adjacent bars. I don't think making the hive deeper would improve it either, since bees seem not to build deep when left to their own devices in the wild. More combs, but not bigger combs. I perhaps could have made mine longer, but I didn't want to buy more board for a few more inches. Most of the of the cedar wood for the top was leftover from a dog house. It will hold 25-28 bars depending on width. I started with all 1-3/4 bars (per what I read somewhere) but I am going to cycle to 1-1/4 for the time being, because while building their numbers, the bars are all brood.
I do enjoy the TBH more than the Lang I have. I queened the TBH (didn't catch her in the cutout) in July, and I pull and photograph bars regularly without any protection. I even worked-up enough courage to sweep off the follower with my bare hand the other day while installing a feeder. No runs, drips or stings.
Having fun!
Beginning
http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab218/Sunchaser01/DSCN0034.jpgRecently (notice the queen)
http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab218/Sunchaser01/DSCN0708.jpg